Blood parasites detected from Anatolian squirrel, Spermophilus xanthophrymnus (Rodentia:Sciuridae) in Nigde province, Turkey

Abstract

The study was conducted on 105 Anatolian squirrel, Spermophilus xanthophrymnus (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Nigde which is province of Turkey from April 2003 to August 2003. Trypanosoma lewisi and Babesia microli were detected in the blood smears of 5 and 2 squirrels, respectively. This study reports the presence of T. lewisi and B. microli in Anatolian squirrel in Turkey for the first time.